1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for storing various types of data into a storage device and managing the data. For example, the present invention relates to outputting the various types of data as a document.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital multifunction machine (MFP: Multifunction Peripheral), which is a representative example of today's image processing apparatus, includes various application functions (e.g., a copier function, a facsimile function, a scanner function, a printer function) and a communications function. Instead of being connected to a user on a one-to-one basis, the image processing apparatus is often connected to plural PCs (personal computers, also referred to as “user terminals”) and other image processing apparatuses having a communications function (e.g., management server) via a network based on a one to n relationship and serves as one of the elements in a system. Therefore, besides managing and operating on information unique to the image processing apparatus or other apparatuses connected to the image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus may manage and operate on information regarding the user(s) connected to the image processing apparatus.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-186918 discloses an image processing apparatus managing various types of information in which the various types of information can be output as a document (document output function) for enabling the user to easily confirm the information. The image processing apparatus proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-186918 utilizes its printer function for fabricating document data by using a suitable font and printing (outputting) the fabricated document data.
However, in outputting the document data, the method for outputting the document data is uniquely defined in correspondence with each type of data (information). In other words, document data cannot be arbitrarily output by a method desired by the user (e.g., output by electronic mail).
Further, since the method for outputting the document data is uniquely defined in correspondence with each type of data, the document data may not be output in a format (e.g., PDF (Portable Document Format)) or a printing condition (e.g., double-side printing, N-up printing) desired by the user.